The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1887-03-17
DISASTROUS
Several People Killed by Failing rom "s
Ee,r York. Eierafed Raif,ray.

New YORK, March S.-Thc large tailoring
establishment of '.Nicoll the Tallor' on the
Bowery was destroyed by fire this morning.
The flames caused a blockade on the THIRD
avenue elevated road, which extended far up
above nth street. The conductor on a tram
which was bloc ked a few hundred feet from
the Seventeenth street station and seyeJai
passengers left the train and started to Walk
over the narrow plank beside the track ana
! thus make their way to the station. While
| they were doing so the blockade was relieves
and the trains began to start. The motion
shook the pathway to such an extent that .
number of passengers were thrown 10 tne
street below. Three of these were Instantly
killed and seven others badly injured.
When the Z o'clock train came 10 n stand
still between Fourteenth and seventeenth
streets, Patrick Mathews OF Az East Twenty
fourth street, was standing on the platform or
the third car, opened the gate, got out on the
narrow platform and started to walk to the
Fourteenth street station. He was followed
by Il number of men who were anxious TO get
to work. When they were within fifteen feet
of the station the train started. Mathews
was panic stricken, and supposing that he was
going to fall off the platform to the street be-
low, he clutched a man who was standing be-
side him and they both fell to the ground and
were instantly killed, while other men became
panic stricken and jumped into the street
The greatest excitement prevailed and
spread among the passengers, and 1t WAS as
much as the train hands could do to keep
them in the cars and prevent them from jump
ing from the train. Women in the cars
screamed and tainted. At last the train was
brought to the station and most Of the pas
sengers got off and took surface cars Town
town.
The distance which the men fell was about
thirty. feet. The dying and wounded were
taken Immediately in ambulances to the
New York, Bellevue and st Fincent's hos
pitfalls. Hundreds of people gathered around
The scene of the accident, but Captain
Clinchey was on hand with a squad of twelve
men and kept the crowd back. The sidewalk
and street were covered with blood.
The killed were Patrick Mathews and two
unknown men, one about 20 years of age.
The wounded were George Mccartney, in
jured hip and back; Robert Shoemaker, in
jured back and leg; William Kennedy, back
and side hurt; James Lyon, arm, back and
head injured; Jose Gradandin, injured in the
back and ribs and generally confused; Emil
Weller, injured in the head, back and side.
The narrow walk from which the people fell
was about two and oDe-half feet wide. When
the passengers left the blocked cars and
opened the platform gate the men of tine train
offered no objection, as they should have
done. The long cOrtege Of men was picking
its way slowly when suddenly the trains start
ed up and began to move and shook the track
with Il cOnvulSiye movement that nearly shook
the foremost man off his feet. Shrinking
back in fright from the moving wheels he
crowded against the man oehiDd him, on the
very edge of the narrow plank walk. The
man seized wildly at a neighbOr in terror.
The latter drew back. But the crowd behind
was pressing on, the train was moving on the
right, and those behind saw Il monetary
punching of the crowd in front, and then half
Il dozen men were seen falling over into the
street below, from which arose Il frightened
wall, that turned into shrieks of terror and
as man after man struck the pave
ment and Law mangled and blee ling.
The men fell in the middle of the street on
the surface car track, and lay, some notion
less, some grOaning family and one shrieking
wildly in pam. The crowd of thousands who
had watched the blockade from below surged
around and closed in upon the scene. While
were sorting out the heap of those
fallen, and policemen were keeping back the
crowd, the ambulances arrived and the sur
geOns turned in to render immediate all. and
the ambulances received loads and galloped
back to the hospitals. Ten had fallen from
the track and We're found dead or injured.
Tire three at the bottom of the heap we're
dead, having fallen head first.